Theatre by the Lake Summer - Winter Season Brochure 2025
Welcome to Theatre by the Lake for another packed season of incredible theatre.
We are thrilled to continue our anniversary celebrations with the return of Noises Off, one of the most beloved and hilarious productions of the past 25 years.
We’re also presenting another classic, with the UK premiere of a new adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. This production promises wit, romance, and social commentary and will captivate a new generation of theatregoers while delighting fans in Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary year.
Di and Viv and Rose is a wonderfully engaging play that tells the stories of three women and the powerful bonds of friendship forged in a 1980s house share. Written by Amelia Bullmore, this is a fresh and bold play that explores powerful themes of friendship, love and memory.
Our family programme is also filled with opportunities to enjoy theatre with children of all ages. You can find more information in the brochure, but make sure you book early for the World Premiere of
The Wizard of Oz, a specially commissioned production that will spark the imagination of audiences of all ages. It’s a magical reinvention of the beloved classic, filled with new surprises and spectacular moments.
Our commitment to inspiring the next generation of theatremakers sees us continue with a series of masterclasses for young people and our innovative youth theatre, Company 25, will continue developing their highly anticipated autumn production—watch this space! We also support local artists and theatremakers and are delighted to be planning a return of CumbriaFest this Autumn—giving a platform to the voices and stories that reflect the heart and spirit of our community.
This season promises something for everyone from classic tales and new works to professional masterclasses and groundbreaking festivals. We can’t wait to share these inspiring experiences with you—join us for a season of unforgettable theatre!
Liz Stevenson, Artistic Director & Joint CEO
Simon Stephens, Executive Director & Joint CEO
Photography by Amy Bateman
STEEL: ON TOUR CUMBRIAFEST
THURSDAY 1 MAY – SATURDAY 14 JUNE
Following the success of the 2024 World Premiere of Lee Mattinson’s Steel at Theatre by the Lake, the show will embark on a UK-wide tour. Find out if it’s coming to a venue near you at theatrebythelake.com/ steel-on-tour.
In a town once rich with coal seams and ore, with community and carnivals, with sea air and ale, seventeen year old James and his mate Kamran are fed up with feeling different — tonight they’re painting the town technicolour and asking what it means to be a man in a play about first loves, forging identities and the wild, wild hearts of teenage boys.
Back for its second year, this festival continues to showcase the incredible talent coming out of Cumbria. Following last year’s success, we’re excited to share even more fresh and inspiring work from Theatre by the Lake’s Artist Development Network, Cumbrian Creatives. While we’re keeping the full programme a surprise for now, expect a mix of premieres, performances, workshops and events that will spark your curiosity and bring people together. Join us this autumn in the Studio for a festival that celebrates Cumbrian creativity in a way that’s sure to leave you inspired.
Check out our website for updates.
A Theatre by the Lake production
Open Space 2024. Photography by Steven Barber Steel, 2024. Photography by Grant Archer
WHAT WE DO
Theatre by the Lake produces and presents nationally acclaimed theatre, made with passion, for everyone living in and visiting Cumbria. But did you know we also:
• Take professional theatre productions to community venues across Cumbria
• Offer free tickets to individuals, young people, and families who otherwise could not afford to come to Theatre by the Lake and experience the joy of live theatre for the first time
• Offer regular Audio Described, BSL interpreted, Captioned and Relaxed Performances for all our in-house shows
• Run a Young Company, Company 25, giving young people access to on and off-stage training, performance opportunities, and theatre experiences
• Support local creatives with development, training, networking, and spaces to perform through our Cumbrian Creatives initiative
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT
As we celebrate our 25th anniversary we want you to Play a Part in helping us continue all that work and much more. Donate using the QR code or at the Box Office.
Theatre by the Lake is the trading name of Cumbria Theatre Trust. A Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England Number 1874868. Registered Charity Number 516673.
NOISES OFF
By Michael Frayn
Directed by Douglas Rintoul
WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE – SATURDAY 26 JULY
A Theatre by the Lake, New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg production
A wildly hilarious, fast-paced comedy that takes you behind the curtain of a chaotic touring theatre company desperately trying to maintain their composure and regain any shred of credibility.
From their frantic last-minute rehearsals in Weston-SuperMare to a disastrously silent performance in Ashton-underLyne, and a spectacularly calamitous final performance in Stockton-on-Tees, Noises Off promises an evening of nonstop laughter and mayhem as the doomed actors struggle to keep their performance together whilst everything around them quite literally falls apart.
Written by the multi-award-winning British novelist and playwright Michael Frayn, this is a new production of one of the most celebrated plays ever written.
Tickets:
Band 1: from £42
Band 2: from £37.50
Band 3: from £27
Band 4: from £12
Age guidance: 12+
Audio Described Performance
Every performance has integrated Audio Description
British Sign Language
Interpreted Performance
Saturday 12 July, 2pm
Captioned Performance
Saturday 12 July, 2pm
Relaxed Performance
Thursday 10 July, 11am
Post Show Discussion
Tuesday 15 July, 7.30pm
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
By Kate Hamill
Adapted from the novel by Jane Austen
Directed by Lotte Wakeham
THURSDAY 7 AUGUST – SATURDAY 6 SEPTEMBER
A Theatre by the Lake, Octagon Theatre Bolton, Stephen Joseph Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre coproduction in association with Theatr Clwyd
Jane Austen’s most iconic love story is brought dazzlingly to life on stage.
When it comes to the subject of marriage, headstrong Lizzy Bennet is determined to resist the mounting pressures and expectations from society. But can she resist love, especially when the infuriatingly intriguing Mr. Darcy keeps popping up at every turn?!
With sharp humour and sparkling dialogue, this witty stage adaptation brings to life the classic story of love, misunderstandings, and second chances (with plenty of music and dancing). Lose yourself in the world of Regency parties and courtship as hearts race, tongues wag and passions swirl around the English countryside.
Discover the absurdities and thrills of finding your perfect (or imperfect) match in life, with this vibrant retelling of Austen’s beloved novel performed by a large cast of immensely talented actors. This UK premiere production is adapted by awardwinning playwright Kate Hamill and directed by Octagon Theatre Bolton’s Artistic Director Lotte Wakeham.
Tickets:
Band 1: from £42
Band 2: from £37.50
Band 3: from £27
Band 4: from £12
Age guidance: 11+
This show is being presented in the round. See seating plan at the back of the brochure or contact us for more information.
Audio Described Performance
Tuesday 26 August, 2pm
British Sign Language
Interpreted Performance Thursday, 21 August, 2pm
Captioned Performance Thursday 21 August, 2pm
Relaxed Performance Tuesday 19 August, 11am
Post Show Discussion Wednesday 20 August, 7.30pm
DI AND VIV AND ROSE
By Amelia Bullmore
Directed by Fay Lomas
FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER - SATURDAY 11 OCTOBER
A Theatre by the Lake and Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch production
“IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO LIKE”
The Guardian
“COMPLICATED, UNPREDICTABLE, TRUTHFUL”
The Times
Tickets:
Band 1: from £42
Band 2: from £37.50
Band 3: from £27
Band 4: from £12
Back in the 80s, Di, Viv and Rose are university housemates. Energetic and idealistic, they become friends - but where will life take them after that?
Filled with the iconic culture, fashion and music of the 80s, 90s and Noughties, Di and Viv and Rose follows these three women through the messy complexity of adulthood, in a mustsee celebration of the power of lifelong friendship.
Candid and full of humour, Di, Viv and Rose talk about sex, ambition and love – sharing joyful moments, painful experiences, and some surprising secrets.
Di and Viv and Rose is written by actor-writer Amelia Bullmore, best known for her portrayal of Steph Barnes in Coronation Street and more recently Riot Women (2025), Happy Valley (2016) and Scott & Bailey (2011).
The original production of Di and Viv and Rose transferred to the West End after a sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre.
Age guidance: 14+
Contains references to sex, sexual violence and strong language.
This show is being presented in the round. See seating plan at the back of the brochure or contact us for more information.
Audio Described Performance
Saturday 11 October, 2pm
British Sign Language
Interpreted Performance
Saturday 4 October, 2pm
Captioned Performance
Saturday 4 October, 2pm
Relaxed Performance
Tuesday 30 September, 11am
Post Show Discussion
Tuesday 7 October, 7:30pm
THE WIZARD OF OZ
By Sonia Jalaly
Based on the novel by L. Frank Baum
Directed by Sarah Punshon
FRIDAY 14 NOVEMBER - SUNDAY 4
A Theatre by the Lake production
JANUARY
We’re not in Keswick anymore…
From Aunty Em’s Cumbrian cottage, Dorothy dreams of returning to her old life in London. But as she climbs out of the window to run away, a storm whisks her up, and she gets far more than she bargained for.
How do you get from Oz to London? There’s only one person who could possibly help — The Wizard!
Join Dorothy and her faithful companion Toto on an adventure down the yellow brick road, facing witches and flying monkeys and making new friends. Along the way she learns that there’s no place she’d rather be than home with Aunty Em.
Inspired by the book by L. Frank Baum, this brand new adaptation of the classic story features all your favourite characters – a very brave lion, a big hearted tinwoman and a super smart scarecrow, and brings Oz right up to date with original pop songs. It’s the perfect treat for everyone — just don’t forget your magic shoes!
Tickets:
Band 1: from £42
Band 2: from £37.50
Band 3: from £27
Band 4: from £12
Age guidance: 6+
Audio Described Performance
Saturday 6 December, 2pm
British Sign Language
Interpreted Performance
Saturday 13 December, 2pm
Captioned Performance
Saturday 13 December, 2pm
Relaxed Performance
Thursday 27 November, 11am
LITTLE GIFT
WEDNESDAY 10 – SATURDAY 27 DECEMBER
M6 Theatre Company in collaboration with Andy Manley
“A KINDLY AND MAGICAL 50 MINUTES”
The Scotsman
“FULL OF CLEVER SURPRISES!”
The Herald Scotland
“WHIMSICAL, FUNNY AND IMAGINATIVE”
reviewsphere
Meet Ted, a cautious old soul living all alone in a busy, bustling town. He likes it that way. It’s quieter and safer. Until one extraordinary day, a surprise visitor turns his lonely life upside down.
Told by a very special performer, with a playful mix of puppetry, music and song, Little Gift is a seasonal tale from multi award-winners M6 Theatre. This Christmas, join us for a beautiful and optimistic story about a friendship waiting to grow.
Tickets: £15 / £12 U26s
Age guidance: 3 - 7
SUMMER MASTERCLASSES
FOR AGES 12 - 18
In Summer 2025 our sell-out masterclasses return with three incredible weeks that will encourage young people to explore the landscape around us and create brand new outdoor theatre performances.
ROLL UP, ROLL UP WITH CIRCO RUM BA BA
MONDAY 28 JULY - FRIDAY 1 AUGUST
Learn acrobatic and circus skills with street theatre and circus company Circo Rum Ba Ba and create a brand new piece of street theatre.
WHO GOES THERE WITH THE FABULARIUM
MONDAY 4 - FRIDAY 8 AUGUST
Returning by popular demand, create an amazing piece of storytelling theatre for outdoor spaces using music, costumes and puppets with The Fabularium.
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE WITH GOBBLEDEGOOK THEATRE
MONDAY 18 - FRIDAY 22 AUGUST
Explore acting, devising and performance with our very own Theatre by the Lake team plus
COMPANY 25
a series of amazing nature focused theatre makers, and create a piece of theatre for and about the landscapes that surround us.
Book early to avoid disappointment. £160 per week (full week booking only). Burseries are available, please contact the box office for more information.
Sessions run Monday - Friday, 10.30am –3.30pm and will have a performance on Friday afternoon at 2.30pm.
We have lots more exciting opportunities for young people coming up over the next few months - please keep an eye on our website and social media channels for more information.
Our brand-new young company learning about all aspects of theatre.
Company 25 launched in September 2024 with young people aged between 14 and 18. They’re learning about all things theatre: from performing to producing, marketing to technical and movement to music.
With weekly sessions and masterclass weekends, they’re co-creating and presenting a series of performances with leading theatre professionals and creatives to tell the Theatre’s story — past, present and future, culminating in a final performance this autumn.
To learn more about opportunities for young people at TBTL
Who Goes There Summer Masterclass 2024.
Photography by Steven Barber
Photography by Chris Payne
Indigo Moon Theatre
GABY GULLIVER’S TRAVELS
SATURDAY 7 JUNE, 11AM AND 2PM
Tickets: £14 / £12 U16s Age Guidance: 5+
Eight year-old Gaby Gulliver is sent on an errand into the woods for her mum...
Gaby finds herself in another universe, a weird but wonderful world... then another and another as she travels on a magical journey through time and space! But will she ever find her way home?
NLP Limited
PIRATES LOVE UNDERPANTS
BASED ON THE BELOVED BOOK BY CLAIRE FREEDMAN AND BEN CORT
TUESDAY 10 JUNE, 1.30PM
Tickets: £15 / £12 U26s
Age Guidance: 1+
These pirates SO love underpants!
Join our swashbuckling party of pirates on their quest to find the fabled Pants of Gold for the Captain’s Treasure chest!
SHLOMO’S BEATBOX ADVENTURE FOR KIDS
FRIDAY 31 OCTOBER, 2PM
Tickets: £17.50 / £13.50 U16s Age Guidance: 0+
Become a sonic superhero sidekick in a world of funny sounds, brilliant noises, and cool music, with world record-breaking beatboxer SK Shlomo.
“A PERFECT SHOW… SETS YOUNG IMAGINATIONS ALIGHT”
The Times
MAIN HOUSE
Based on the original book PIRATES LOVE UNDERPANTS • Text Copyright Claire Freedman 2013 Illustrations Copyright Ben Cort 2013 • Published by arrangement with Simon and Schuster UK Ltd 1st Floor 222 Grays Inn Rd London. WCIX 8HE
THE ENORMOUS TURNIP
MONDAY 27 – THURSDAY 30 OCTOBER
Tickets: £15 / £12 U16s
Age Guidance: 3+
Living in their tiny shed squeezed in amongst the garden tools, Mr and Mrs Chickweed’s amazing prize-winning vegetables have taken over everything! Before they retire, they can’t resist planting one last seed, trying for one more champion vegetable and one more trophy!
But no one knew that a vegetable could grow bigger than the cat, bigger than the dog, bigger than you and me put together! It’s gigantic, it’s blocking out the light and it’s still growing!
Help save the day as we pull The Enormous Turnip out of the ground before it takes over the planet!
Stuff and Nonsense
Our Big Days for Tiny Theatre Makers include a show and a series of activities for you to enjoy including storytelling, puppet play and art activities. Activities are open before and after the show, so you’re welcome to stay and play for as long as you like!
WONDER GIGS PLAYTIME
MONDAY 14 JULY, 11AM, 1PM AND 3PM
Tickets: £12 (adults and children age 0+).
Tickets include the performance and all other activities
Age Guidance: 0 – 4
An uplifting and relaxing hour with a live musician playing beautiful acoustic versions of well-known folk, jazz and pop songs alongside atmospheric sensory visuals.
WEDNESDAY 13 AUGUST, 11AM, 1PM, 3PM
Tickets: £12 (adults and children age 0+).
Tickets include the performance and all other activities
Age Guidance: 0 – 4
Come along for Playtime where you’ll join Ratty and her friends for a fun and gentle introduction to theatre through silly and relaxed play.
From June, we’ll be running weekly Tiny Theatre Makers sessions for Under 4s and their grown ups. Each week, the group will explore a story or theme through theatre, music, movement and art. Tiny Theatre Makers will run on Wednesdays during term time, with sessions beginning on 11 June. Head to the website, or contact the box office for further information.
The Last Baguette
Fiskit Theatre
Our Big Days for Families include the show or experience you have booked plus a series of interactive activities around the building before, or after the performance! Look out for storytelling, crafts and experiences before and after Fold Your Town and Aardman Model Making.
FOLD YOUR TOWN
WEDNESDAY 16 JULY
Tickets: See website for updates
Age Guidance: 0+
You’re invited to create a large origami model of Keswick. Where’s your favourite place in town? Come and add it to our map! Draw, colour and decorate your landmark and be part of this evolving drawn installation.
AARDMAN MODEL MAKING WORKSHOP
MONDAY 11 AUGUST, 11AM, 1PM AND 3PM
Tickets: £12 (adults and children age 0+)
Age Guidance: 6+
Watch a Wallace and Gromit classic in our Studio Theatre before joining the expert team from Aardman to learn the unique art of model making at these fun, interactive clay modelling workshops.
You’ll receive a step-by-step demonstration by an expert model maker from the Aardman studio, and discover how to craft your own model.
Choose to make Gromit (11am), Feathers (1pm) or Shaun the Sheep (3pm).
This summer, we’ll also be sharing a series of pop-up outdoor performances for families - both by our very own young people, and by nationally acclaimed outdoor theatre companies: Circo Rum Ba Ba, The Fabularium and Gobbledegook Theatre. Follow our socials for updates on performance days.
A Line Art
Words by the Water
AN EVENING WITH JOANNE HARRIS AND VIANNE
TUESDAY 3 JUNE, 7:30PM
Tickets: £20
25 years after it was first published, author Joanne Harris returns to the world of Chocolat, her million-copy bestselling novel from 1999. Vianne is her long-awaited prequel to the story of heroine Vianne Rocher.
MICHAEL ROSEN: GETTING THROUGH IT
MONDAY 16 JUNE, 7:30PM
Tickets: £25 / £12 U26s
Poetry legend Michael Rosen presents his new one-person show Getting Through It, a powerful exploration of love, loss and mortality.
Words by the Water
AN EVENING WITH DAVID NICHOLLS
SUNDAY 6 JULY, 7:30PM
Tickets: £20
An evening in conversation with the celebrated author David Nicholls as he launches the paperback edition of You are Here, his latest novel set in the Lake District. David’s books include worldwide bestseller One Day, which was recently adapted into a hit Netflix series.
SH!T LIFE CRISIS
WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE, 7:30PM
Tickets: £16 / £12 U26s
Age Guidance: 16+
Grace smashed cancer, but victory feels like a bad joke. While throwing a memorial for Abbie, her rideor-die chemo buddy, Grace lays bare how surviving turned her life inside out. It’s raw, it’s real, and yes, there’s karaoke.
MAIN HOUSE
JAMES PHELAN: THE DREAMER
THURSDAY 5 JUNE, 7.30PM
Tickets: £29 / £12 U26s
Age Guidance: 12+
The Dreamer is a celebration of the impossible becoming possible. Most infamous for jamming the BBC switchboard after correctly predicting the lottery and star of The Greatest Magician™, the award-winning James Phelan debuts this breath-taking new magic show that will leave you aching with laughter and dizzy in disbelief.
MAGIC
Silent Uproar
DEVILLED EGGS EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL SHOWCASE
MONDAY 16 – TUESDAY 17 JUNE, 7:30PM
Tickets: £16 / £12 U26s
Like the eggs The Dakota serves at breakfast, this show is fresh, cheeky and devilishly spicy. Welcome to the Dakota Guest House. The most glamorous B&B this side of Blackpool! The Dakota is the true spirit of Variety: comedy, music and mystery are resident guests here, and every room has its tale to tell.
Black Liver return to the Studio following Miss Nobodies and Support Your Local Library in 2023.
FRIDAY 18 JULY, 7:30PM
Tickets: £15 / £12 U26s
Big Fish Comedy Club hosts an exciting and hilarious showcase of up and coming comics, all heading up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year!
A chance to discover the next best thing in comedy before booking your Fringe schedule for 2025.
MC’d by local comic Stephanie Bradshaw.
Black Liver Big Fish Comedy Club
BLACK TIE BALL
Written and Directed by John
Godber
TUESDAY 21 – FRIDAY 24 OCTOBER
Tickets: £32 / £25 / £12 U26s
Age Guidance: 14+
Being short staffed has never been so funny. It’s the glitziest night of the year, and everyone wants to be there, from the great to the good. The Bentleys are parked, the Jazz Band has arrived, and the magician is magic; so pick up your invite for this fundraising frenzy.
But behind the bow ties and fake tans there are jealousies and avarice, divorces and affairs. This is upstairs meets downstairs through a drunken gaze.
The raffle is ready, the coffee is cold, the service is awful, the Guest Speaker is drunk and the hard pressed caterers just want to go home.
From the writer of Bouncers, John Godber’s hilarious comedy sees the hotel staff recount an entire evening at breakneck speed from arrival at seven to carriages at midnight.
John Godber Company
BRIGHOUSE & RASTRICK BRASS BAND
SATURDAY 7 JUNE, 7:30PM
Tickets: £30 / £25 / £12 U26s
Regarded by many as the best and most consistent ‘public subscription band’ in the world, the ever-popular Brighouse & Rastrick Band boast a formidable reputation: in its time the majority of premier band championships have been held by ‘Briggus’, most recently becoming the 2022 British Open and Brass in Concert Champions.
AN EVENING WITHOUT KATE BUSH
THURSDAY 12 JUNE, 7:30PM
Tickets: £23 / £12 U26s
Howl with the Hounds of Love and dance on the moors with Wuthering Heights! She’s not there — but you are. Release your inner Bush and celebrate at this joyful, unique and mindblowing show.
“SPELLBINDING”
The Daily Telegraph
“RE-INVENTING THE TRIBUTE ACT” The Stage
KATIE SPENCER
THURSDAY 12 JUNE, 7:30PM
Tickets: £16 / £12 U26s
Raised in the East Yorkshire flatlands on the fringes of Hull, Katie Spencer’s landscape has always been that of open skies and widening rivers, and it’s this sense of space and movement that flows through her music.
“ONE OF THE MOST SATISFYING AND SPELLBINDING SINGER-SONGWRITER COLLECTIONS I’VE ENCOUNTERED IN SOME TIME.”
RnR Magazine
THE BOOKSHOP BAND
FRIDAY 25 JULY, 7:30PM
Tickets: £16 / £12 U26s
Collaborating with over 100 authors, including Philip Pullman, Louis de Bernieres and Margaret Atwood, The Bookshop Band bring books to the stage along with a multitude of instruments and their distinct voices, creating a beautifully cinematic sound.
CARA DILLON
MAIN HOUSE
SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER, 7:30PM
Tickets: £28.50 / £12 U26s
Cara Dillon, multiple award-winning Irish folk singer and acclaimed musician, and producer Sam Lakeman, will captivate listeners once again with their exquisite and enthralling live performance.
The show will feature a selection of acoustic songs from previous releases and material from Cara’s 2024 release “Coming Home”.
STUDIO
CUMBRIAN CHRISTMAS CRACKER
WEDNESDAY 3 DECEMBER, 7:30PM
Tickets: £16 / £12 U26s
Open the season of goodwill at the Cumbrian Christmas Cracker, a nostalgic evening of seasonal readings, poems, dialect and music. Author Alan Cleaver, Countrystride producer David Felton and special guests unpack a stocking of seasonal gifts featuring memories of Lakeland past, traditional yuletide food, a selection of Cumberland dialect readings and tunes and the inevitable fire-side ghost story.
North Cumbria Scriptwriters
Derwentwater Drama Group
SCRIPT WORKSHOP DUETS
SATURDAY 28 JUNE, 10AM – 4PM
Tickets: NCS Members free, Non-Members £10
Come and watch a professional teamconsisting of a director and four actors - as they conduct a workshop on a series of script extracts provided by NCS members. See their process as they look to “iron out” issues that the writers have identified.
To have your script professionally workshopped at further sessions become a member of NCS. For more information, please contact northcumbriascriptwriters@gmail.com
WEDNESDAY 3 – SATURDAY 6
SEPTEMBER, 7.30PM
Tickets: £15
The community theatre company based at Theatre by the Lake is proud to present this suite of plays which hilariously explore four differing relationships:
Blind Date: will they get it right this time?
Secretarial Skills: is this the usual boss/ secretary dynamic?
The Holiday: the right place to discuss the state of their marriage?
The Bride-To-Be: 3rd time lucky, despite the omens and dismay of the brother?
Anti Racist Cumbria
ARC SUMMIT
FRIDAY 17 OCTOBER, 9.30AM - 9.30PM
The 2025 Anti Racist Cumbria Summit will celebrate five years of Anti Racist Cumbria: Expect a bold, experiential event, featuring workshops, art, music, food, wellbeing, a comedy night, and the incredible keynote speaker, Lemn Sissay! It’s a powerful space for learning, healing, and action. Tickets sell out fast every year don’t miss out!
Keswick Rotary Club
PIANO MEN
SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER, 7.30PM
Tickets: £26.50 - £16
Following the sell-out Behind the Mask concert two years ago, Clark Wilkinson and friends return to Keswick with a brand-new show. For one night only Piano Men will celebrate the songbook of some of music’s greatest songwriters... and their pianos.
Keswick Theatre Club
A DOLL’S HOUSE
By Henrik Ibsen
WEDNESDAY 26 – SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER
Tickets: £16 / £12 U26s
Nora, her husband and associates circle around each other within the seductive oppression of Belle Epoque society. As another Christmas comes and goes, will they continue to reset the trap, or embolden each other to break free?
KTC brings you a new translation of Ibsen’s masterpiece that goes back to the startling power of the original.
TICKETS
Tickets for most shows start at just £12
See each show page for individual prices. Book early to get the best seats at the best prices.
Schools
School tickets are £12 per person for all shows, plus get one free teacher ticket for every 10 pupils.
Groups
We offer great discounts for groups of 8 or more people. Groups of up to 20 people can book online and the discount will apply automatically. Groups of more than 20 people can book via our dedicated Group Bookings line: 017687 74411 (option 2) or email groupbookings@theatrebythelake.com
The Jungle Book, 2024. Photography by Pamela Raith
YOUR VISIT
BOX OFFICE
017687 74411
HOW TO FIND US
theatrebythelake.com
Address: Theatre by the Lake, Lakeside, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5DJ
Find us a five-minute walk from Keswick town centre.
PARKING
Lakeside Car Park is owned and operated by Cumberland Council and offers pay and display parking (cash and card payments accepted or payment via the MiPermit app). The car park is situated next to the theatre and contains 253 parking bays, 14 disabled spaces and 4 coach bays. Parking after 7pm currently costs £1.10.
The car park is extremely busy, particularly for matinee performances, with visitors to Derwentwater, Hope Park and Keswick town centre as well as the theatre. We advise planning in advance and arriving in plenty of time before performances.
Further car parks in Keswick can be found at keswick.org/visitor-information/car-parks
MAIN HOUSE STUDIO
The stunningly situated Lakeside Cafe Restaurant is nestled between the lake and the theatre and is the perfect place to enjoy breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake, or something more substantial before the show.
A place where menus match the impressive views of Catbells.
View sample menus and reserve a table for dinner at theatrebythelake.com/food or call 017687 81102.
ACCESS
For Made by TBTL shows we offer regular Audio Described, British Sign Language Interpreted, Captioned and Relaxed Performances. Please see individual show pages or the diary at the back of this brochure for performance dates and times.
An Access Guide is available on request by emailing enquiries@theatrebythelake.com
To book for an Access Performance or to request a copy of this brochure in an alternative format please contact us at: 017687 74411 enquiries@theatrebythelake.com theatrebythelake.com/access
TICKETS FOR DEAF AND DISABLED PEOPLE
Tickets are £12 for Deaf and disabled customers and their carer, companion or personal assistant for all Made by TBTL shows.*
*limitations apply for visiting shows.
HEARING ENHANCEMENT
Auri hearing assistance receivers are available on request or join with your own Auracast TM enabled device. Speak to our Box Office team by phone on 017687 74411 or email enquiries@theatrebythelake.com for advice on the best seats.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
Theatre by the Lake has a lift offering flat-floor access to all floors and there are accessible toilets available on every floor. Wheelchair spaces are available in both our Main House and Studio. To book a wheelchair space please contact our Box Office team by phone on 017687 74411 or email enquiries@theatrebythelake.com
ASSISTANCE DOGS
Assistance Dogs are welcome in all areas of the theatre.
RELAXED PERFORMANCES
For every Made by TBTL show, we offer a specially altered performance for people who would benefit from a more relaxed environment. Some alterations are specific to the show, but in general these include quieter sound and calmer lighting, a printed visual story of the show and the doors to the theatre space remaining open so that you can enter and exit at any time. Our Relaxed Performances are popular with people who live with Dementia, sensory communication disorders, autism and learning difficulties, as well as people attending the theatre with babies.
All tickets for Relaxed performances are £12.
DEMENTIA FRIENDLY
We are a Dementia Friendly building and the majority of our staff and volunteers are Dementia Friends. We offer familiarisation tours and access packs on request. Email enquiries@theatrebythelake.com to request these.
AUDIO BROCHURE
For every Theatre by the Lake brochure we also produce a corresponding Audio Brochure available to listen to online. For more information on our audio brochures please email enquiries@theatrebythelake.com.
Brassed Off, 2024. Photography by Pamela Raith
DIARY
JUNE
Tue 3 An Evening with Joanne Harris & Vianne
4 Sh!t Life Crisis
5 James Phelan: The Dreamer
7
JULY
AUGUST
14
15
16
18
21
25
26
27
28
30
SEPTEMBER
Mon 1
2
3
4
5
6
19 Di and Viv and Rose
PR
20 Di and Viv and Rose 7.30pm PR Mon 22 Di and Viv and Rose
23 Di and Viv and Rose
24 Di and Viv and Rose
25 Di and Viv and Rose
Mon 29 Di and Viv and Rose 7.30pm Tue 30 Di and Viv and Rose 11am RP 7.30pm
OCTOBER
Wed 1 Di and Viv and Rose 7.30pm Thu 2 Di and Viv and Rose 7.30pm Fri 3 Di and Viv and Rose 7.30pm
Sat 4 Di and Viv and Rose 2pm BSL CAP 7.30pm
Mon 6 Di and Viv and Rose 7.30pm
PR
Tue 7 Di and Viv and Rose 7.30pm PSD Wed 8 Di and Viv and Rose 7.30pm
Thu 9 Di and Viv and Rose 2pm 7.30pm Fri 10 Di and Viv and Rose 7.30pm
Sat 11 Di and Viv and Rose 2pm AD 7.30pm Fri 17 Anti-Racist Cumbria Summit 9.30am
Tue 21 Black Tie Ball 7.30pm Wed 22 Black Tie Ball 7.30pm
Thu 23 Black Tie Ball 2pm 7.30pm Fri 24 Black Tie Ball 7.30pm
Sat 25 Cara Dillon 7.30pm
Mon 27 The Enormous Turnip 4pm Tue 28 The Enormous Turnip 10.30am 2pm Wed 29 The Enormous Turnip 10.30am 2pm
Thu 30 The Enormous Turnip 10.30am 2pm Fri 31 Sholmo’s Beatbox Adventure for Kids 2pm
NOVEMBER
Sat 1 Piano Men 7.30pm Fri 14 The Wizard of Oz 7.15pm PR
Sat 15 The Wizard of Oz 7.15pm PR
Mon 17 The Wizard of Oz 7.15pm PR
Tue 18 The Wizard of Oz 7.15pm ON
Wed 19 The Wizard of Oz 2pm
Thu 20 The Wizard of Oz 10.30am 7.15pm
Fri 21 The Wizard of Oz 10.30am
Sat 22 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Mon 24 The Wizard of Oz 10am, 2pm
Tue 25 The Wizard of Oz 10.30am
Wed 26 The Wizard of Oz 10am, 2pm A Doll’s House 7.30pm STUDIO
Thu 27 The Wizard of Oz 11am RP A Doll’s House 7.30pm STUDIO Fri 28 The Wizard of Oz 10.30am A Doll’s House 7.30pm Sat 29 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm A Doll’s House 2pm STUDIO 7.30pm STUDIO
DECEMBER
Tue 2 The Wizard of Oz 10am, 2pm Wed 3 The Wizard of Oz 10.30am Cumbrian Christmas Cracker 7.30pm STUDIO
Thu 4 The Wizard of Oz 10am, 2pm Fri 5 The Wizard of Oz 7.15pm Sat 6 The Wizard of Oz 2pm AD 7.15pm Sun 7 The Wizard of Oz 2pm
Tue 9 The Wizard of Oz 10am, 2pm Wed 10 The Wizard of Oz 10.30am
Little Gift 10.30am, 2pm STUDIO
Thu 11 The Wizard of Oz 10am, 2pm Little Gift 10am, 2pm STUDIO
Fri 12 The Wizard of Oz 7.15pm
Little Gift 10am, 2pm STUDIO
Sat 13 The Wizard of Oz 2pm BSL CAP 7.15pm
Little Gift 10am, 12pm, 3pm STUDIO
Sun 14 The Wizard of Oz 2pm
Little Gift 10am, 12pm, 3pm STUDIO
Tue 16 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Little Gift 10am, 2pm STUDIO
Wed 17 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Little Gift 10am, 2pm STUDIO
Thu 18 The Wizard of Oz 2pm
Little Gift 10am, 2pm STUDIO
Fri 19 The Wizard of Oz 7.15pm
Little Gift 10am, 12pm, 3pm STUDIO
Sat 20 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Little Gift 10am, 12pm, 3pm STUDIO
Mon 22 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Little Gift 10am, 2pm STUDIO
Tue 23 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Little Gift 10am, 12pm, 3pm STUDIO
Wed 24 The Wizard of Oz 2pm Little Gift 10am, 2pm STUDIO
Fri 26 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Little Gift 11am, 2pm STUDIO
Sat 27 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Little Gift 10am, 12pm, 3pm STUDIO
Mon 29 The Wizard of Oz 2pm
Tue 30 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Wed 31 The Wizard of Oz 2pm
JANUARY
Fri 2 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Sat 3 The Wizard of Oz 2pm 7.15pm
Sun 4 The Wizard of Oz 2pm
HOW TO BOOK
BOX OFFICE
Our Box Office is open for in person and phone bookings Monday – Saturday from 12 noon – 7.30pm (5pm on non-performance days). For any morning performances, the Box Office opens 30 minutes before the event. You can book online via our website 30 minutes before performance.
017687 74411
enquiries@theatrebythelake.com
theatrebythelake.com
Booking fee of £2 is charged per transaction (waived for groups, access tickets and members).
GIFT VOUCHERS
Treat the theatre lover in your life with a voucher they can redeem against any show at Theatre by the Lake. Gift Vouchers are available to buy at Box Office or over the phone.
TICKET PROTECTION
Tickets booked with Theatre by the Lake are non-refundable. Ticket Protection through SecureMyBooking will be offered to you when booking. Check our website for SecureMyBooking terms and conditions.
RECEIVING YOUR TICKETS
E-Ticket: FREE
By post: £1.50*
Collect from Box Office: £1
PERFORMANCE TIMES
*Tickets booked less than 7 days before a performance are not available for postal delivery. Please arrive in plenty of time for performances as latecomers may not be admitted.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Strobe lighting, smoke or stage effects and the smoking of only e-cigarettes are permitted onstage. These may not be advertised in advance as they may not be known until the day of the performance. Please speak to our Box Office team by phone on 017687 74411 or email enquiries@theatrebythelake.com if you have any concerns.
CONTENT WARNINGS
Some productions may contain content or themes that some audience members may find upsetting. Wherever possible, these are highlighted on our website. Speak to our Box Office team if you have concerns.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Discounts
Only one discount per ticket is permitted. Discounts cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. All discounts and offers are subject to availability.
Children
Children under the age of 4 will only be admitted to Family Friendly or Relaxed Performances. Booster seats are available on request. Babes in arms (up to 18 months) will not be charged if the age guidance is 2+, but you must book a free lap seat alongside your ticket purchase, which allows them to sit on the lap of a parent or guardian during the performance. For shows suitable for children under age 2, tickets for the adult and child must be purchased.
Data Protection
Theatre by the Lake is committed to protecting your personal information, being transparent about what data we hold and giving you control over how we use it. View our Privacy Policy online at theatrebythelake.com/privacy-policy.
Programme alterations
Every effort is made to avoid alterations to the programme. However, Theatre by the Lake reserves the right to cancel or alter events if this is unavoidable. In this unlikely event, we are committed to contacting all customers in advance wherever possible.
Ticket exchanges and refunds
Theatre by the Lake does not offer refunds unless the event is cancelled. We are happy to exchange tickets up to 48 hours before the event, for another date in the run of the same production. There is a £1.50 fee for this service. For information on our refunds and exchanges please contact Box Office on 017687 74411.
All requests for exchanges or changes to an order must be made by the individual that booked the tickets. We are unable to process requests by third parties.
SEATING PLANS
TA S T E
AUTUMN & WINTER THE SEASONS
B Y T H E LAK
Whether you're warming up after a frosty fell walk, tucking into a delicious brunch or enjoying a winter warmer with a view, our menu has something for everyone - even your pups!
Settle into the welcoming glow of our café, unwind with a cocktail in the Spotlight Bar or wrap up and enjoy the crisp air on Keswick’s best terrace. With locally sourced ingredients and seasonal favourites, it’s the perfect way to savour a true lakeside experience.
